Jonathan David could be the man to replace Harry Kane this season.
If I were a politician, I would double down on this claim, fudge numbers, and promote false narratives to support it. Fortunately, it is not my profession, and I am more than prepared to confess that I was incorrect in this assumption.
My main reason for doing this abrupt one-eighty is that Tottenham have begun far better than I expected. The goalie is assured; the defence, despite a few shaky moments, is gelling; and the midfield has evolved into one of the league’s best.
Jonathan David could be the man to replace Harry Kane this season.
In a complete 180-degree turn from previous seasons, our attack now appears to be our weakest link on the pitch, with Son and Deki still finding their feet in the new system and Richarlison looking useless as the single striker.
Whisper it carefully, but if we can get our offence in order, we could be in for an exciting season. As I previously stated, I did not anticipate us being in this situation. I expected the adjustment to take longer, but the players’ willingness to learn and embrace the ‘Postecoglou method’ has been extraordinary.
So, instead of preaching patience, I am suddenly yelling ‘Carpe Diem’ at the top of my lungs. There’s cash in the bank. Go ahead and spend it. Purchase Jonathan David today. I’ll explain why…
The Need for a striker
One of my main arguments for delaying the signing of a striker was that I thought Richarlison had enough about him to do a passable job up front.
However, after only two games – which I admit is a small sample size – I’ve changed my mind. Richarlison has looked lost in both appearances, and some intense pressing and a couple of half opportunities are insufficient to earn him a starting spot.
Some may argue that he is effective as a lone striker for Brazil, and while this is true, it is an entirely different style of play. He plays as a deep-lying forward for Brazil, allowing midfield runners like as Vinicius Jr, Neymar, and Raphina to come in behind and work around him.
This is why he is chosen over Gabriel Jesus, not because he is a superior player, but because he is capable of filling that functional job.
Unfortunately, I do not believe he has the technique, skillset, or tactical nous to play this role for Tottenham – indeed, it could be argued that his presence is hindering Son and Kulusevski’s performances because he is not identifying positions where they can find him, while also not creating space for them to exploit.
Football Attributes
So, in this system, what does Ange want from his striker? A vicious predator is essential.
David was not the most prolific player in his early career, but he has routinely reached double figures for Gent and his current team Lille. He scored 26 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions last season (TransferMarkt).
He scored 24 goals in the league, with an xG of 23.96 (SofaScore). He scored six goals with his left foot and seventeen with his right, which is critical in this Spurs team because he can expect balls from both flanks.
One caveat must be noted: ten of these goals were penalties (he missed one), which does ‘plump the data’ little – but also provides us with a prospective new penalty taker.
He is also a hard ball presser, and with Ange looking to win the ball back as quickly as possible, he would be ideal for this role.
He can also come in and link the action, allowing other players to attack (see positional sense part below). He is also tremendously quick, particularly in the opening few yards, which will allow him to find space in the box to grab on to crosses and cutbacks.
Positional sense
Postecoglou anticipated his striker, Kyogo, to just wait in the box until a chance presented itself and then take it. It worked perfectly.
However, with the emergence of talented wide forwards such as Kulusevski and Son, the role of the central striker has shifted.
The striker must be involved in the build-up play and assist the wide men so that they may be more of a goal threat as well.
Richarlison’s dilemma here is twofold. For starters, while he was a part of Everton’s build-up play, he was mostly on the left side of the pitch.
Based on the graphic below, he will not be able to work in these positions under the Postecoglou formation because it is covered by a combination of predominantly Maddison and Son.
You can see from the heat map above that Jonathan David would be more adept at working on the right-hand side of the pitch – in tandem with Kulusevski, Sarr and whichever full-back is selected.
You can also see from David’s graphic that he likes to operate within the penalty box – just like Kyogo did under Ange at Celtic.
His Footballing Journey
Gift Orban is another striker who has recently been linked with Tottenham. The Nigerian is now playing in Belgium’s top flight, and my concern is that the move up to the Premier League will be significant.
His figures are, to put it mildly, mind-boggling, but transforming them would be incredibly difficult and certainly risky. Last season, he failed to score and looked thrilling in bursts rather than consistently in an overall performance against West Ham.
Jonathan David also started his European journey in Belgium, playing, like Orban, at Gent, before being transferred to Lille in France – a notable step up, where he took time to adapt before finding consistent form.
When Postecoglou signed Vicario, he stated that he respected his footballing pathway (football.london) to the top.
Incidentally, David’s journey is somewhat similar to that of Postecoglou, starting in Canada, a country more associated with ice hockey than ‘soccer’ before moving to Europe.
I think Ange will resonate with this and see in him someone who has had to work hard to take those steps and being challenged to perform at every level.
Personality
Jonathan David will undoubtedly attract a high transfer fee. He is valued at roughly £50 million, and Real Madrid expressed interest in him earlier this summer (perhaps as a pawn in the continuing game that is Kylian Mbappe) (Transfermarkt).
Add to that Tottenham’s receipt of nearly £100 million, their desperation for a world-class forward, and the perilous proximity of the transfer window’slamming shut’ (nobody gently closes it) – and Lille can inflate that figure to as much as £70-80 million.
Without naming names, Tottenham have been burned by exorbitant transfer costs in the past, and in order to spend this money, they will need to conduct extensive research on the player and their personal characteristics to ensure they have the attitude to play for Tottenham.
A simple Google search of ‘Jonathan David Scandal’ turned up nothing, yet some actions in his life indicate that he is a level-headed and motivated guy.
David could have joined the Vancouver Whitecaps (First Time Finish) as a child in Canada (having grown up in Haiti). His mother, on the other hand, was anxious that his education come first. Such maturity and determination to make the right decision speaks volumes about both him and his mother.
After deciding to turn professional and spending a few of seasons with Gent, he was signed by Lille to replace departed superstar Victor Osimhen (does this sound familiar?).
The pressure was great, and despite a sluggish start in Ligue 1, David has proven to be a more than capable replacement (Breaking The Lines).
Whoever joins Tottenham will bear the responsibility of being “the next striker after Kane.” I don’t think Richarlison has handled it well, but David has shown before that following a club legend would not phase him.
Since his move to France, the forward has piqued the curiosity of English clubs, with both Arsenal and Chelsea hinting that he may be a future signing (football.london).
However, the Canadian turned down the move, which would have greatly increased his pay, in order to focus on his development and ensure consistent game time, demonstrating that he is a true professional and that his agent has his best interests at heart.
Verdict
The club is clearly interested in the Canadian superstar (FourFourTwo), and I have totally convinced myself (as I often do when writing these articles) that he can be the key to unlocking Tottenham’s maximum potential in the front line.
Lille has nearly supplied talent to the Premier League on a conveyor belt over the years: Hazard, Cabaye, Gabriel, Botman (not to mention other players like Rafa Leao, Victor Osimhen, and Benjamin Pavard).
It’s time to restart the conveyor belt and deliver a Canadian to N17.
